Huff releases statement, appreciates support

SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff, who's on the 15-day disabled list with an anxiety disorder, asked for solitude Friday in a brief statement he issued through the team.

"Thank you to the fans, media and Giants organization for the outpouring of support during this very difficult week," Huff's statement began. "I'm especially grateful for the texts and calls from my teammates, who are like my brothers and have let me know they're here for me.

"My goal is to get back on the field as soon as possible. To do that, I have to focus completely on getting well. I know I'm in a public job, and I've been one of the more open guys. But sometimes you have to pull back and work on things in private. This is one of those times.

"I appreciate your understanding and patience."

Huff, 35, was batting .182 with one home run and four RBIs in 12 games when the Giants officially placed him on the DL on Wednesday. He left the team two days earlier. Huff's lack of production prolonged the season-long slump he endured last year, when he hit .246 with 12 homers and 59 RBIs. Huff was one of the Giants' top performers during their 2010 World Series-winning season, when he finished seventh in the National League Most Valuable Player balloting.

Sandoval's hitting streak reaches 20 games

SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval extended his franchise-record, season-opening hitting streak to 20 games with a third-inning single Friday night off San Diego left-hander Cory Luebke.

Sandoval, who owns the Major Leagues' longest active hitting streak this season, crept two games shy of the personal-best 22-game streak he sustained last June 19-July 30. The AT&T Park crowd saluted Sandoval with a brief but warm ovation after he pulled his sharp line drive to left field.

Streaky starts

Pablo Sandoval's 20-game hitting streak to start the season now ranks in the top 10 of season-opening streaks.

Player

Year

Games

1. George Sisler

1925

34

2. Ron LeFlore

1976

30

3. Sam Rice

1930

28

4. Gee Walker

1937

27

5. Charlie Grimm

1923

25

6. Edgar Renteria

2006

23

7. Joe Torre

1971

22

T8. Steve Garvey

1978

21

T8. Harry Heilmann

1923

21

T10. Eddie Bressoud

1964

20

T10. Pablo Sandoval

2012

20

Sandoval characteristically refused to get carried away with his latest achievement.

"Tomorrow's another day," he said after the Giants' 5-3 loss to the Padres.

Sandoval pulled into a tie for seventh place on the San Francisco-era list of hitting streaks. Jack Clark established the franchise record of 26 in 1978, which broke Willie McCovey's mark of 24 in 1963.

Sandoval also became the seventh player in the modern era to open a season with a hitting streak of 20 games or more. The others were George Sisler (34 in 1925), Ron LeFlore (30 in 1976), Edgar Renteria (23 in 2006), Joe Torre (22 in 1971), Steve Garvey (21 in 1978) and Eddie Bressoud (20 in 1964).

Infielder Sanchez takes break from rehab

SAN FRANCISCO -- Discomfort in Freddy Sanchez's surgically repaired right shoulder prompted the Giants on Friday to withdraw the second baseman from his Minor League injury rehabilitation stint for five days.

Sanchez, who dislocated his shoulder last June 10, said at AT&T Park that he felt "a shooting sensation" through the area Monday or Tuesday while trying to turn double plays in pregame drills with the Giants' Class A San Jose affiliate. He had been scheduled to begin playing second base for San Jose on Wednesday.

"I've had so many setbacks, or whatever you want to call them, but it hasn't set me back to zero," Sanchez said. "I feel like it'll take only a few days to get back to where I was. ... When I do come back, I want to be able to produce, not come back just to come back."

When Sanchez returns to action, he will continue to serve as a designated hitter until doctors clear him to throw from second base. Though that toss covers a short distance, it taxes an infielder's arm because each throw must be released quickly, particularly on double plays.

Sanchez took grounders during batting practice before the Giants' series opener against San Diego but didn't try double-play relays. After batting practice, Giants team orthopedist Ken Akizuki was scheduled to visit Sanchez and discuss the results of the MRI he underwent Friday. Results of the examination weren't immediately available.

Adequate health has eluded Sanchez, who has appeared in only 196 regular-season games since the Giants acquired him from Pittsburgh shortly before the 2009 Trade Deadline.

"There's been several times when I felt like I've been right there," he said. "Sometimes it's just taking one throw that either inflames it or I tweak it again. ... It's definitely disappointing, frustrating. It's like a mental roller coaster, almost, trying to stay positive."

Wilson back with Giants after surgery

SAN FRANCISCO -- Closer Brian Wilson, recovering from the second Tommy John elbow surgery of his career, joined teammates in the Giants' clubhouse Friday but remained mostly in seclusion.

"He seems in good spirits," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He feels he's going to be as strong as before, if not stronger."

In a procedural move, the Giants moved Wilson from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Eric Hacker, who started Friday night.

"He thought he'd be ready in 16 days," Bochy jokingly said of Wilson, who's sidelined for the rest of the season.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.